How do interviews differ between Exeter and Glasgow?

Exeter uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Glasgow uses Panel interview: Panel interview. The two formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each, with at least 3 full mock interviews per format before sitting either. Interview windows: December – March (Exeter); December - February (Glasgow).

What A-Level grades do Exeter and Glasgow require?

Exeter requires Applicants need to apply via UCAS by 15 October; academic profile + admissions test used to determine interview invite. Typical A-Level offer A*AA (contextual AAB) for 2026 entry.. Glasgow requires AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.

Where are Exeter and Glasgow located, and how does that affect cost?

Exeter is in Exeter, Devon, England, UK, UK. Glasgow is in Glasgow, UK. Scottish-domiciled applicants funded by SAAS pay no tuition fees at Scottish medical schools — a substantial funding advantage worth tens of thousands of pounds over the degree. Rest-of-UK applicants still pay £9,250/year.

When does each school release decisions?

Exeter typically releases medicine decisions March onwards / mid-May. Glasgow releases medicine decisions March onwards. If one is earlier than the other, you may need to hold a decision while waiting for the second school — be ready to compare in real time.

Medical school comparison

Exeter vs Glasgow

Q: How are GCSEs weighted at Exeter vs Glasgow?

Exeter — Grade 6/B in English Language. No other GCSE requirements. Glasgow — GCSE English Literature or English Language at grade 6/B or above. GCSE Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-level. GCSE retakes are accepted.

Exeter and Glasgow are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Exeter is based in Exeter, Devon, England, UK (England) while Glasgow sits in Glasgow (Scotland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

The interview formats diverge — MMI vs Panel — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different. Glasgow is the older institution (founded 1451); the other (founded 2013) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Exeter and Glasgow.
Comparison field	ExeterExeter, Devon, England, UK	GlasgowGlasgow
Quick comparison
Location	Exeter, Devon, England, UK, UK	Glasgow, UK
A-Level offer	A*AA at A-level including A in Chemistry and A in Biology	AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. International A-level applicants need AAA including Chemistry, Biology and one of Physics or Mathematics. Grades must be achieved at one sitting and at the first attempt - resits and extra time to sit qualifications are not permitted, and a mix of qualifications at the same level is not accepted.
TrueScore	Exeter TrueScore 1900	Glasgow TrueScore 1870
UCAT home cut-off	~1880+ /2700 with AAA* (5th decile) OR ~2100+ /2700 with AAA (8th decile). Points cut-off 74+/100.	-
Interview format	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)	Panel interview
Post-interview chance	International (2026 policy): ~33% (10 places, ~30 interviews); UK Undergrad: 366/696 = 53%	Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%
Decision date	March onwards / mid-May	March onwards

A-Level offer	A*AA at A-level including A in Chemistry and A in Biology	AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. International A-level applicants need AAA including Chemistry, Biology and one of Physics or Mathematics. Grades must be achieved at one sitting and at the first attempt - resits and extra time to sit qualifications are not permitted, and a mix of qualifications at the same level is not accepted.
Contextual A-Level offer	AAB at A-level for contextual / WP-eligible applicants	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry and Biology both required at grade A or higher	Chemistry plus one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted - predicted grades can still be considered in shortlisting scores	Resits or additional time to sit qualifications not permitted - required grades and subjects must be obtained at one sitting and at the first attempt
GCSE requirements	Grade 6/B in English Language. No other GCSE requirements.	GCSE English Literature or English Language at grade 6/B or above. GCSE Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-level. GCSE retakes are accepted.
GCSE scoring methodology	-	-
Scottish Highers	-	AAAAB at Higher in S5 including Chemistry, Biology and one of Physics or Mathematics, plus BB at Advanced Higher in S6 and National 5 English at grade B. Offers are conditional on S6 performance, and Highers taken in S4 do not count towards the S5 requirement.
Scottish Advanced Highers	-	BB at Advanced Higher in S6 (in addition to S5 AAAAB Highers above)
International Baccalaureate	38 points overall, 7,6,6 at Higher Level including HL 6 in Chemistry and HL 6 in Biology. Contextual: 34 points overall, 6,6,5 at Higher Level.	38 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level including HL Chemistry and Biology, plus SL Physics or Mathematics at 6 and SL English at 6
Graduate-entry degree requirement	Graduate applicants must sit GAMSAT (rather than UCAT) - no specific minimum degree class published; competitive applicants typically hold a 2:1 or above	2:1 or above in a relevant science degree, obtained within 7 years of the entry date. UCAT still required.
Alternative qualifications	-	-

Contextual cut-off	~1820+ /2700 with AAA* (4th decile) OR ~2010+ /2700 with AAA (7th decile)	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	1870+ /2700 (2026 entry threshold for interview)
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	1990+ /2700 (2026 entry threshold for interview)
International cut-off	~2100+ /2700 (points cut-off 80+)	2150+ /2700 (2026 entry threshold, International and EU)
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	SJT is not used - band 4 is appropriate	Not considered
UCAT notes	Points-based system combining A-level prediction (75% weight) + UCAT decile (25% weight). Achieved A-level grades scored more generously than predictions.	Glasgow states plainly that it does not consider the SJT. Thresholds differ by applicant group because intake numbers for Home, Rest of UK and International are set by the Scottish Government and Scot…

Degree awarded	BMBS	MBChB
Course length	5 years	5 years
Teaching style	Case-based learning	Spiral + Problem-based learning
Anatomy teaching	Imaging and models	-
First patient contact	Year 1	Year 1
Placement geography	Devon and Cornwall	Glasgow and the west of Scotland
Named placement sites	Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (Truro)	Glasgow Royal Infirmary (New Lister Building), Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (Teaching & Learning Centre)
Intercalation	Between years 3 and 4 — ten bachelor's options and more than ten master's options.	A one-year intercalated BSc with over 20 options, or a two-year BSc (Hons), taken between years 3 and 4.
Course highlight	Every student spends at least one year based in Cornwall, at the Knowledge Spa in Truro.	The COMET scheme funds an enhanced, immersive general-practice experience for selected students.

Interview window	December – March	December - February
Interview details	Online MMI via Zoom breakout rooms - typically 4 stations of 5 minutes each, with a few minutes between stations. Strong focus on ethics, personal qualities and motivation. Fewer follow-up questions t…	One 30-minute session split into two parts, Panel A and Panel B, with the same two interviewers covering both. Panel A explores your motivation for medicine and teamwork; Panel B covers communication…

Specialities	Primary Care, Hospital Medicine, Community Medicine, Clinical Science, Rural & Regional Health	Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine
Established	2013	1451
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	Focus on non-academic qualities including communication, empathy, role-play and realistic insight into the course and career. Points-based shortlisting combining A-level prediction + UCAT decile (75%…	One of the oldest medical schools in the English-speaking world. Your personal statement and reference are screened early, alongside achieved and predicted grades; UCAT scores arrive later in the cycl…
Official course page	https://www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate-degrees/bmbs-medicine/	https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/medicine/

Exeter

Exeter, Devon, England, UK

Quick comparison

Location: Exeter, Devon, England, UK, UK
A-Level offer: A*AA at A-level including A in Chemistry and A in Biology
TrueScore: Exeter TrueScore 1900
UCAT home cut-off: ~1880+ /2700 with A*A*A* (5th decile) OR ~2100+ /2700 with A*A*A (8th decile). Points cut-off 74+/100.
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: International (2026 policy): ~33% (10 places, ~30 interviews); UK Undergrad: 366/696 = 53%
Decision date: March onwards / mid-May

Glasgow

Quick comparison

Location: Glasgow, UK
A-Level offer: AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. International A-level applicants need AAA including Chemistry, Biology and one of Physics or Mathematics. Grades must be achieved at one sitting and at the first attempt - resits and extra time to sit qualifications are not permitted, and a mix of qualifications at the same level is not accepted.
TrueScore: Glasgow TrueScore 1870
UCAT home cut-off: -
Interview format: Panel interview
Post-interview chance: Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%
Decision date: March onwards

Exeter vs Glasgow - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Exeter requires A*AA at A-level including A in Chemistry and A in Biology.

Glasgow requires AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. International A-level applicants need AAA including Chemistry, Biology and one of Physics or Mathematics.

Grades must be achieved at one sitting and at the first attempt - resits and extra time to sit qualifications are not permitted, and a mix of qualifications at the same level is not accepted.

Exeter is the stricter A-Level offer; Glasgow is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Glasgow carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Exeter: Grade 6/B in English Language. No other GCSE requirements. Glasgow: GCSE English Literature or English Language at grade 6/B or above. GCSE Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-level. GCSE retakes are accepted.

Interview formats

Exeter uses MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)); Glasgow uses Panel (Panel interview). These two formats reward different skills — MMI emphasises breadth, station-recovery and structured answers under time pressure, while Panel rewards depth and consistency.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Glasgow may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Exeter is the better fit.

Interview windows: Exeter interviews in December – March; Glasgow in December - February.

Post-interview offer rate

Exeter: International (2026 policy): ~33% (10 places, ~30 interviews); UK Undergrad: 366/696 = 53%. Glasgow: Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%.

Post-interview odds give you the clearest signal of how competitive each school is at the final stage — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%, even if the interview thresholds look identical on paper.

What makes each distinctive

Exeter: Focus on non-academic qualities including communication, empathy, role-play and realistic insight into the course and career. Points-based shortlisting combining A-level prediction + UCAT decile (75% academic / 25% UCAT). SJT not used - band 4 is fine.

Glasgow: One of the oldest medical schools in the English-speaking world. Your personal statement and reference are screened early, alongside achieved and predicted grades; UCAT scores arrive later in the cycle and are then used to allocate interviews among applicants who have already cleared that screen. Glasgow does not use the SJT at all.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Glasgow is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Exeter feeds into the England foundation programme network; Glasgow into the Scotland network.

Your firm/insurance choice should ultimately weight: where your UCAT and predicted grades sit relative to each school's threshold, which interview format you can prepare for most credibly, and where you'd actually want to live for five or six years.

Common questions

Neither school publishes a single fixed UCAT cut-off; both use UCAT as part of a composite shortlisting score alongside GCSE and personal-statement weighting. Exeter guidance: ~1880+ /2700 with A*A*A* (5th decile) OR ~2100+ /2700 with A*A*A (8th decile). Points cut-off 74+/100.. Glasgow guidance: Glasgow states plainly that it does not consider the SJT. Thresholds differ by applicant group because intake numbers for Home, Rest of UK and International are set by the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council, and they move each year with the strength of the cohort. Personal statement and reference are screened before UCAT is applied, not afterwards..

Exeter's selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. Glasgow's selection methodology: A staged process running October to March. Applications are first assessed on achieved and predicted qualifications, personal statement and reference; UCAT scores are released to the admissions team later in the cycle and used to allocate interviews among those who cleared that screen. Interview scores are then accumulated and offers made, with most processed by the end of March. Applicants who narrowly miss may be revisited if places free up. Understanding each school's exact algorithm is the single highest-leverage piece of pre-application research — it tells you whether your profile is competitive before you spend an application choice.

Exeter: International (2026 policy): ~33% (10 places, ~30 interviews); UK Undergrad: 366/696 = 53%. Glasgow: Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%. Post-interview odds tell you how competitive each school is at the final stage. Two schools with similar UCAT thresholds can have very different post-interview rates — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%.

You can — UCAS allows 4 medicine/dentistry choices in total, so listing both is feasible if your profile fits each school's selection algorithm. Apply to both only if your UCAT, GCSE and predicted-grade profile is competitive against each school's published weighting. A common mistake is using two of your four slots on similar schools when a more spread-out portfolio (one safe + one stretch) would maximise overall offer probability.

Where to go next

ExeterEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

GlasgowEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other medical school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 19 September 2026.